Monorail points

ABSTRACT

A monorail point or deflecting device comprising a simple-or double-throw point and a pivoting tongue or blade, characterized in that it comprises a welded assembly consisting of a standard straight section member having two rolling tracks and of at least one standard other in order to juxtapose, in the case of a simple point, one portion of one of the two rolling tracks of said curved section member and one portion of one of the two rolling tracks of said straight section member in order to reduce the number of rolling tracks at the blade point from four to three.

United States Patent [191 Tourt ellier I [111' 3,815,510 51 June 11, 1974 MONORAIL POINTS Jean-Louis Tourtellier, Mulhouse, France Tourtellier S.A., Mulhouse, France July 26, 1972 Inventor:

Assignee:

Filed:

Appi. No.:

Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 12, 1971 France 71.37032 Int. Cl E0lb 25/22 Field of Search 104/96-105,

References Cited v UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS us. Cl 104/104, 104/130- Sheets 104/103 France 104/103 Primary Examiner-M. Henson Wood, Jr.

Assistant Examiner-D. W. Keen Attorney, Agent, or FirmRobert E. Burns; Emmanuel J. Lobato; Bruce L. Adams of the two rolling tracks of said straight section member inorder to reduce the number of rolling tracks at the blade point from four to three.

9 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures ATENTEDJM 1 1 i974 SHEET 1 (IF 2 1 MONORAIL POINTS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to simpleor doublethrow points for monorail systems, notably of the type used for handling purposes in many industries.

Simpleor double-throw points or switches are already known in monorail systems. These points consist of one-piece castings and comprise a movable blade or tongue pivoted about a vertical pin permitting of switching the carriage or other carrier vehicle to one or the other direction. As in all points they comprise a straight member connecting along a straight line the two sections of tubular rail of the monorail system disposed in mutual alignment on either side of said points, and at least one curved member for connecting one section of said tubular rail, belonging to the straight line, to a curved tubular rail. Each member, namely the straight member and the curved member, comprise two rolling tracks. At the inlet end of .the points, there are four rolling tracks, thus increasing considerably the point width. On the other hand, the free end of the directional blade or tongue is compelled to move along a relatively long path. However, the radius of curvature of the tongue is subordinate to the radius of the curved member which depends, of course, on the circuit characteristics. Therefore, the hitherto known points or deflecting devices are relatively long.

In addition to the space necessary for these points having considerable over-all dimensions, the cost of the necessary castings is relatively high. In fact, a mould must be prepared for each type of tubular monorail sections.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the essential object of this invention to avoid these inconveniences by providing points for monorail systems which have reduced dimensions in comparison with known points. In fact, the movement of the end of the directional blade or tongue is reduced by nearly one-half in comparison with the movement required in conventional points. Moreover, the point according to this invention comprises only welded section members, so that the hitherto necessary essential moulds can be dispensed with, and the manufacturing cost is reduced considerably. Moreover, the weight of the device is reduced likewise, thus facilitating the fitting thereof in position.

To this end, the present invention provides a monorail point or deflecting device comprising a simpleor double-throw point and a pivoting tongue or blade, characterised in that it comprises a welded assembly consisting of a standard straight section member having two rolling tracks and of at least one standard other in order to juxtapose, in the case of a simple point, one portion of one of the two rolling tracks of said curved section member and one portion of one of the two rolling tracks of said straight section member in order to reduce the number of rolling tracks at the blade point from four to three, and, in the case of a double-throw point, one portion of one of the two rolling tracks of the pair of curved section members and one portion of each oneof the two tracks of the straight section member for reducing the number of rolling tracks at the blade point from six to four.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION'OF THE DRAWING A clearer understanding of this invention may be had if reference is made to the accompanying drawing illustrating diagrammatically by way of example typical forms of embodiment of the invention. In thedrawing:

FIG. 1 is a plan, part sectional view showing a simplethrow point or deflecting device according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view showing the inlet end of a simple-throw point; I

FIG. 3 is a plan and sectional view showing separately the section members constituting the simple-throw point;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the point;

FIG. 5 is a part sectional plane view of a doublethrow point according to this invention; 7

FIG. 6 is an elevational view showing the inlet end of the double-throw point of FIG. 5, and,

FIG. 7 is a plan and sectional view of the separate section members constituting this double-throw-point.

DESCRIPTION oF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to' FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawing, a deflecting or point device for monorail system is illustrated therein. Such systems are widely used in many industrial handling equipments. The tubular monorail comprises essentially straight and curved section members adapted to be interconnected by a point 1. This point 1 is disposed between two sections of a straight line comprising straight section members 2 and 3, and is adapted to connect one of these straight sections, for example section member 2, to a curved section member such as 4. p

The point 1 comprises a junction or branching member Sand a tongue or blade member 6. The branching member 5 comprises a standard straight section member 7 and a standard curved section member 8. Before assembling the various component elements of the point, each section member 7 and/or 8 comprise a pair of vertical side faces 9, l0 and 11, 12 interconnected at their upper ends by a cross wing l3, 14. The lower ends of the vertical faces 9 to 12 are curved inwards so that rolling tracks 15, 16, 17 and 18 are obtained.

To obtain the point of reduced width illustrated in FIG. 1, the vertical side face 10 of the straight section member 7 and the vertical side face 11 of the curved section member 8 are cut substantially longitudinally. The cutting illustrated by the areas 19, 20 of FIG. 3 is such that by disposing side by side the straight section 7 and the'curved section 8, the rolling track 16 of the former and the rolling track 17 of the latter are juxtaposed at the inlet end 21 of the branching member 5.

To this end, the cutting line 22 of straight section 7 extends from the axis 23 of rolling track 16 at the inlet end 21 of branching member 5, until it is flush with the vertical side face 10, whereas the cutting line 24 of curved section 8 is tangent to the curved axis 25 of rolling track 17. Thus, a branching point is obtained which comprises only three rolling tracks 15, 26 and 18 at the inlet end and four rolling tracks 15, 16, 17 and 18, and at the heel of the branching member 5 the four rolling tracks 15 to 18 are found again. Therolling track 26 3 Comprises a half-track '16 of straight-section 7 and a halftrack 17 of curved section 8.

To reinforce the branching member 5, a reinforcing member 27 is welded to the lower faces of both section members 7 and 8. I

The blade 6 is adapted to pivot about a vertical pivot pin 28 supported by a member 29 rigid with the straight section member 2. To ensure a proper rotation, the pivoting free end 30 of the blade 6 comprises a roller 31 revolving about a horizontal axis 32 fastened by a support 32 to the end 30. The roller 31 is movable along a rolling track 33 secured to the top 34 of the inlet end 21 of branching member 5. i

To support the connection between on the one hand the straight section member 2 and the blade 6, and on the other hand the blade 6 and the branching member 5, reinforcing elements 35 are provided on the outer faces of the curved ends of the vertical side faces.

Referring to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 of the drawing, illustrating adouble-throw' point, the component elements are substantially the same as in the preceding form of embodiment. A straight section member 36 and a pair of curved section members 37, 38 having opposite direc- 4 each one of the pair of rolling tracks-of said straight section member for reducing at the inlet end of the point the number of rolling tracks from six to four.

2. A point according to claim 1 comprising at the inlet end of the point at least one intermediate rolling track consisting of a half-track of said curved section tions ofcurvature are used. For assembling these three ber 37, 38, are cut. Thus, four rolling tracks 44, 45, 46

and 47 are obtained at the inlet end of branching member 43, and six rolling tracks 44, 41, 39, 40, 42 and 47 are obtained at the outlet end. Rolling tracks 45, 46, comprise, in the case of track 45, of a half track 41 rigid with a half-track 39 and in the case of track 46 of a half-track 40 and a half-track 42 The blade 48 is adapted to describe a circular are beyond the two sides of the central track.

The movement of blade 6 and/or 48 may be controlled manually or through any known and suitable means.

Although'this invention has been described hereinabove with reference to a specific form of embodiment, it will readily occur to those conversant with the art that it should not be construed as being strictly limited by this form of embodiment since various modifications may be brought thereto, whether to the shape and material constituting its component elements, without departing from the basic principle of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is: i

l. A point "comprising a simple-throw or doublethrow branching .device and a pivoting blade for a monorail system, comprising a welded assembly consisting of a standard straight section member having twin parallel rolling tracks, and at least one standard member and of a half-track of said straight section member.

3. A point according to claim 1, wherein said curved section member compriseson its major radius a cut portion substantially tangent to the median axis of the outer rolling track.

4. A point according to claim 1, wherein the straight section member has vertical side faces and comprises at least one substantially longitudinal cut portion having its initial end on the median axis of rolling track and merging with a predetermined angle into the vertical side face of straight section memberl 5. A point according to claim 1, comprising means for reinforcing the assembly of said straight sectio member and curved section member.

6. A point according to claim 1, comprising, at one end of said pivoting blade, a vertical pivot'pin supported by the monorail and, onthe other end, a horizontal axis supported by said blade and a roller pivoting about said horizontal axis, and a. rolling track secured to the top of the inlet end of branching member and whereon said roller is movable.

7. A point according to claim 1, comprising means secured to said blade and said section members forv stiffening the connection between, on the one hand, the portion of straight section member and the blade, and, on the other hand, said bladeand said branching memher.

8. A track switch for use with double-track monorail systems comprising: a branchsection having two sets of diverging double-tracks each set comprising a pair of juxtaposed rolling tracks, and wherein the immediate adjacent rolling tracks from both sets have a common end portion defining a single rolling track at the convergent end of said branch section and diverge outwardly into separate rolling tracks at the divergent end of said branch section; and a single one-piece selecting section having one set of double-tracks comprising a pair of juxtaposed rolling tracks and pivotable at one end thereof to pivot the other end thereof into registery with selected ones of the two sets of double-tracks of said branch section.

9. A track switch for use with double-track monorail systems comprising: a branch section having three sets of diverging double-tracks each set comprising a pair of juxtaposed rolling tracks, and wherein the immediate adjacent rolling tracks from one end set and the center set as well as from the other end set and the center set have a common end portion defining a single rolling track at the convergent end of said branch section and diverge outwardly into separate rolling tracks at the divergent end of said branch section; and a single onepiece selecting section having one set of double-tracks comprising a pair of juxtaposed rolling tracks and pivotable at one end thereof to pivot the other end thereof into registery with selected ones of-the three sets of double-tracks of said branch section. 

1. A point comprising a simple-throw or double-throw branching device and a pivoting blade for a monorail system, comprising a welded assembly consisting of a standard straight section member having twin parallel rolling tracks, and at least one standard curved section member having twin parallel inner and outer rolling tracks interfitting each other so that, in the case of a simple-throw point, one portion of the outer rolling track of said curved section member is juxtaposed to one portion of one of the pair of rolling tracks of the straight section member for reducing at the inlet end of the point the number of rolling tracks from four to three and in the case of double-throw point, portions of the outer rolling tracks of the pair of curved section members are juxtaposed to portions of each one of the pair of rolling tracks of said straight section member for reducing at the inlet end of the point the number of rolling tracks from six to four.
 2. A point according to claim 1 comprising at the inlet end of the point at least one intermediate rolling track consisting of a half-track of said curved section member and of a half-track of said straight section member.
 3. A point according to claim 1, wherein said curved section member comprises on its major radius a cut portion substantially tangent to the median axis of the outer rolling track.
 4. A point according to claim 1, wherein the straight section member has vertical side faces and comprises at least one substantially longitudinal cut portion having its initial end on the median axis of rolling track and merging with a predetermined angle into the vertical side face of straight section member.
 5. A point according to claim 1, comprising means for reinforcing the assembly of said straight section member and curved section member.
 6. A point according to claim 1, comprising, at one end of said pivoting blade, a vertical pivot pin supported by the monorail and, on the other end, a horizontal axis supported by said blade and a roller pivoting about said horizontal axis, and a rolling track secured to the top of the inlet end of branching member and whereon said roller is movable.
 7. A point according to claim 1, comprising means secured to said blade and said section members for stiffening the connection between, on the one hand, the portion of straight section member and the blade, and, on the other hand, said blade and said branching member.
 8. A track switch for use with double-track monorail systems comprising: a branch section having two sets of diverging double-tracks each set comprising a pair of juxtaposed rolling tracks, and wherein the immediate adjacent rolling tracks from both sets have a common end portion defining a single rolling track at the convergent end of said branch section and diverge outwardly into separate rolling tracks at the divergent end of said branch section; and a single one-piece selecting section having one set of double-tracks comprising a pair of juxtaposed rolling tracks and pivotable at one end thereof to pivot the other end thereof into registery with selected ones of the two sets of double-tracks of said branch section.
 9. A track switch for use with double-track monorail systems comprising: a branch section having three sets of diverging double-tracks each set comprising a pair of juxtaposed rolling tracks, and wherein the immediate adjacent rolling tracks from one end set and the center set as well as from the other end set and the center set have a common end portion defining a single rolling track at the convergent end of said branch section and diverge outwardly into separate rolling tracks at the divergent end of said branch section; and a single one-piece selecting section having one set of double-tracks comprising a pair of juxtaposed rolling tracks and pivotable at one end thereof to pivot the other end thereof into registery with selected ones of the three sets of double-tracks of said branch section. 